Journal of Korean Society of Osteoporosis  2013;11(3):136-139

Asymptomatic Pulmonary Embolus Following Percutaneous Kyphoplasty: A Case Report

Chae Geun KIM 1 ; Soo Uk CHAE ; Jong Yun KIM ; Gang Deuk KIM

Affiliations

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Keywords

Osteoporotic compression fracture; Pulmonary embolus; Kyphoplasty

Country

Republic of Korea

Language

Korean

Abstract

Percutaneous vertebroplasty is a relatively recent procedure in the treatment of osteoporotic vertebral compression fractures. Bone cement embolism is a severe and potentially life-threatening complication of percutaneous vertebroplasty with cement. The risk for cement pulmonary embolism ranges between 3.5 and 23% for osteoporotic fractures. Bone cement leakage may be usually more frequent with vertebroplasty than with kyphoplasty. We experienced a 69-year-old female patient of an asymptomatic pulmonary embolus (length 8 cm) after kyphoplasty for an osteoporotic vertebral compression fracture